A spring snowstorm is keeping some speakers for this year's Shepard Symposium from arriving at the University of Wyoming campus, but event organizers say that won't keep the show from going on.
Shepard Symposium co-chair Christie Boggs said they have a plan to allow two presenters who aren't able to come in person to speak anyway.
"Dr. Dionne Poulton will not make it and Heidi Beirich will not make it," she said. "But we will be bringing them in via Zoom so there'll still be an opportunity to hear them speak in the room. We still have lunches so people should come eat the food, please!"
Author Dionne Poulton will discuss unconscious bias and racism on Thursday at 12:15 and Heidi Beirich with the Southern Poverty Law Center will talk about an increasing climate of hate in the U.S.
Boggs said the concept for this year's theme of "Radical Listening" builds on last year's, which was called "Courageous Conversations." But Boggs said conversations aren't possible unless people have the skills to listen deeply.
"In this climate we have in the U.S., and actually around the world, there's a lot of people talking but not a lot of people listening."
Boggs said people are invited to participate in dialogue sessions to learn the art of radical listening.
You can view a full lineup of the symposium here.
